UPDATE: Two J'ville staff members suffered minor injuries in storm; school closed Tuesday

UPDATE:

Superintendent Melissa Speers said Monday evening that no students were hurt when severe weather damaged part of the campus earlier in the day, but two staff members suffered "some minor injuries.”

Speers said the school would not be open today due to damage assessment, noting many students had personal belongings left at the school that they should be able to get later today.

“Students did what they are supposed to do,” she said, noting law enforcement was to be on campus Monday night to make sure no one got in any of the buildings. “They left the backpacks; they left their books. They probably left phones in the buildings. Once we know — our insurance adjusters will be here (this) morning — once we know that the buildings are safe, we’ll send messages out to parents as to when they can come and get their students’ things.”

EARLIER UPDATE:

Garland County Sheriff Mike McCormick said Monday that at least four homes in the Jessieville area, along with the Jessieville School District campus, were damaged due to high winds, but confirmation of whether it was from a tornado will depend on assessments by the Office of Emergency Services and the National Weather Service.

He said the safe room at Jessieville school “worked out really well” and probably saved a lot of lives. Kept all the students and others safe.

He said deputies were going to stay in the area to make sure there are no “inappropriate activities,” such as looting. He said he was not aware of any businesses in the area that sustained damage and that the school “took the huge brunt of of it. They got hit pretty hard.”

Still no reports of any injuries which he again attributed to the safe room at the school. He noted the damage from the storm seemed to very concentrated and was pretty much contained to the 8000 block of 7 north.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

An apparent tornado touched down in the Jessieville area Monday afternoon, damaging homes and the Jessieville School District campus, but the superintendent said all students were safe.

School was in session on Monday following the winter break when the storm hit. School officials were in the process of sending students home Monday afternoon.

"We had no students injured. We're still assessing damage, "Jessieville Superintendent Melissa Speers said.

"To my knowledge, there are no major injuries so far but they're still checking," Garland County Sheriff Mike McCormick said, saying the damage was done by a tornado. Most of the damage occurred in the 8000 block of Highway 7 north.

McCormick said roads that were blocked in the area "should be open fairly soon. It's mostly trees down. Some on top of houses."

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